EU News

European Union Business News from EUbusiness.com

Cayman Islands added to EU tax haven list — 19 February 2020, 23:17 CET

EU finance ministers at their meeting on Tuesday added the Cayman Islands and Panama to the EU list of 'non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes', in addition to the 8 jurisdictions that are already listed.

VAT rules simplified for Europe's smaller businesses — 19 February 2020, 00:27 CET

EU finance ministers adopted simplified VAT rules applicable to small businesses Tuesday, with a view to reducing administrative burdens and compliance costs and helping more efficient trade across borders.

Mifid II - EU mulls changes to investor protection rules — 19 February 2020, 00:29 CET

The EU Commission opened a consultation Monday on changes in investor protection in the Markets in Financial Instruments directive (Mifid), which sets out rules for European securities markets.

EU invests EUR 100m in projects to combat climate change — 18 February 2020, 23:51 CET

The European Commission announced funding of EUR 101.2 million under the EU's LIFE programme Monday for new projects to support 10 major environment and climate projects in nine Member States.

MEPs call for UK guarantee of 'level-playing field' after Brexit transition — 13 February 2020, 17:47 CET

The EU Parliament called Wednesday for 'dynamic alignment' of EU-UK rules after Brexit transition, and protection for the EU's most sensitive sectors, in the upcoming talks on a new EU-UK partnership.

EU limits Cambodia's preferential access to EU market over human rights — 13 February 2020, 16:49 CET

The EU Commission withdrew part of the tariff preferences granted to Cambodia under the 'Everything But Arms' trade scheme due to "serious and systematic" violations of human rights principles.

Coronavirus, Brexit weigh on subdued outlook for EU economy — 18 February 2020, 00:10 CET

Subdued, stable growth for Europe's economy is set to continue over the next two years, according to the EU's Winter 2020 Economic Forecast, which warns of potential risks including the coronavirus.

MEPs give EU-Vietnam trade deal the green light — 12 February 2020, 20:38 CET

The European Parliament approved Wednesday the EU-Vietnam trade agreement, described as the "most modern and ambitious agreement ever concluded between the EU and a developing country".

Developing countries' exports boosted by EU trade preferences — 12 February 2020, 20:39 CET

Exports to the EU from developing countries using special tariff preferences under the EU's Generalised Scheme of Preferences reached a new high of EUR 69 billion in 2018, a report said Monday.

EU rules on tobacco taxation no longer deter smokers — 12 February 2020, 20:39 CET

EU rules on the taxation of tobacco, while working well in terms of predictability and stability for EU Member State fiscal revenue, are less effective in deterring consumption, an EU report found on Monday.

Green light for cleaner EU tap water — 07 February 2020, 00:49 CET

EU Member States' ambassadors cleared the way Wednesday for final adoption of a proposal to revise the drinking water directive, ensuring that tap water across the European Union is safe to drink.

EU action on pesticides has made limited progress: auditors — 11 February 2020, 00:57 CET

The EU offers few incentives for farmers to reduce their dependency to pesticides, and has been unable to substantially reduce and control risks associated to pesticides use by farmers, says a new report.

Western Balkans next target for EU enlargement — 06 February 2020, 22:25 CET

The European Commission put forward a proposal Wednesday to strengthen and make the EU accession process more predictable, targeting enlargement to the Western Balkans as a top EU priority.

Brussels opens consultation on Europe cancer plan — 06 February 2020, 22:24 CET

The European Commission opened a public consultation Tuesday to gather views on the outline of its Cancer Plan, with the aim of helping to identify priority areas and the scope for future action at EU level.

BlueInvest Fund to unlock potential of EU's blue economy — 04 February 2020, 23:22 CET

The EU Commission with the European Investment Fund launched the BlueInvest Fund Tuesday, to provide financing to equity funds that support economic activities related to oceans, seas and coasts.

EU offers zero-tariff trade deal if UK keeps to commitment on 'level playing field' — 03 February 2020, 23:31 CET

The EU offered the UK a tariff-free trade deal Monday, so long as it kept to commitments it made in the Political Declaration to a 'level playing field' and preventing unfair competitive advantages.

Britain leaves the European Union — 01 February 2020, 00:35 CET

More than 45 years of the United Kingdom's membership of the European Union came to an end on Saturday, as the UK's EU withdrawal agreement entered into force at midnight CET.

Unemployment in the EU at lowest rate since 2000 — 30 January 2020, 23:20 CET

The unemployment rate in the 28 EU Member States was 6.2 per cent in December 2019, continuing a steady decline from previous months, according to figures published Thursday by Eurostat.

MEPs call for binding rules on common chargers by summer — 01 February 2020, 00:36 CET

MEPs called on the Commission Thursday to put forward beefed-up rules on common chargers by July at the latest, to reduce electronic waste and empower consumers to make sustainable choices.

Green deal at centre of EU Commission's 2020 work plan — 01 February 2020, 00:36 CET

The EU's key challenge in 2020 is to grasp opportunities offered by the ecological and digital transitions, its chief Ursula von der Leyen said as she set out her Commission's new Work Programme Wednesday.

EU launches 'toolbox' to build secure 5G in Europe — 30 January 2020, 22:39 CET

The European Commission endorsed a joint 5G 'toolbox' Wednesday, a concerted EU approach to addressing security risks related to the building and protection of a European infrastructure for fifth-generation of mobile networks.

European Parliament approves UK's Brexit deal — 30 January 2020, 00:18 CET

Britain's EU withdrawal agreement has cleared its second-to-last hurdle before entering into force, with the European Parliament's overwhelming approval clearing the way for Brexit to take place Friday.

EU's Erasmus education programme benefits 10 million — 29 January 2020, 23:13 CET

More than 10 million young people have taken part in Erasmus, the EU's programme to support and strengthen education, training, youth and sport in Europe, according to its annual report, out Tuesday.

EU + 16 WTO members agree temporary dispute settlement arrangement — 28 January 2020, 17:20 CET

The EU and 16 other WTO members agreed Friday to develop a multi-party interim appeal arrangement for participating WTO members to preserve a 2-step dispute settlement system in disputes among them.

Brexit Withdrawal Agreement passes first EU Parliament hurdle — 24 January 2020, 23:42 CET

The Brexit Withdrawal Agreement passed its first EU Parliament test Thursday, when its Constitutional Affairs Committee recommended that the Parliament plenary should approve the UK withdrawal terms.